pásele

The cheerful sizzle of frying oil fills the room, then freshly fried churros arrive at the table. On a quiet lane in Yanaka, pásele is a specialist shop devoted to churros con chocolate, a familiar part of everyday café culture in Spain, served with care. Crisp and fragrant on the outside, tender within, the churros are made for dipping into thick, gently flowing dark hot chocolate. It is the kind of pause that lets the mind unwind.

The flavours range from plain churros, where the dough’s subtle sweetness and saltiness come through, to a spiced version made with cardamom and cinnamon simmered together and worked into the dough. Anise and fennel bring another option, with their warm, sweet aroma. The fresh, layered aromas of herbs and spices bring out the acidity and depth of the cacao, adding another dimension to each dip. There is also a simple sugar-dusted version, as well as a savoury option served as three shorter churros with cheese and rosemary, so the choice can suit the mood.

The hot chocolate has its own range of cacao profiles: the Dominican is full-bodied, the blend has an elegant acidity, and the Brazil is creamy. For a pleasant contrast with the churros’ sweetness, you could instead choose an iced coffee or café au lait, both with restrained sweetness.

White walls and wooden furniture give the room a calm feel, and a request to keep conversation subdued makes it well suited to spending time quietly on your own. Let the view through the large windows and the soft music set the pace as you take in the aroma of freshly fried churros and chocolate, and enjoy a moment of quiet.